


sparking up my heart

by princessmiakitten



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Romance, Soulmate AU, basically people see color only when they meet their soulmate, i dont know who i am anymore tbh im writing fluff???, its not sad at all???
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-16
Updated: 2015-07-16
Packaged: 2018-04-09 15:15:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4353926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princessmiakitten/pseuds/princessmiakitten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daichi’s more surprised by the fact that nothing is gray anymore.</p>
<p>Things start to become bright, beautiful, breathtaking. He realizes that this is it, this is color, the color that he’s been longing to see and the color that he’d given up on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	sparking up my heart

**Author's Note:**

> im really bad at writing fluff why am i a sad writer

At the age of twenty-two, Sawamura Daichi has gotten used to seeing things in black and white.

Literally.

At the age of twenty-two, he can only see things in monochrome in a world that’s supposedly vibrant with color. He can only see shades of gray in places that are meant to have vivid hues.

He hears about these things constantly from the people around him-- his parents, his teammates, and especially his best friends.

Everyone around him has met their soulmate and are blessed to see the thing he longs for the most.

But maybe it’s not only the fact that he wants to see the colors that come with meeting one’s soulmate.

Daichi longs for the affection that he sees everywhere-- the supposed pull in his heart that ties him to another, the unconditional love.

He’s a realist, though, and figures that if he hasn’t met his soulmate by now, he’s definitely not going to meet him any time soon.

He’s lasted twenty-two years, and he figures he can last the rest of his life. He’s done everything on his own, will continue to do things on his own. That’s just the type of man Daichi is.

Daichi sits at his gray desk with his gray friends, listening to the sound of the clock ticking down time until the beginning of class. It’s a new year, his last year of college, and he sits patiently and listens to his best friend talk about how pretty the cherry blossoms are with their “pink” petals.

Pink is on the lighter side of the gray scale.

What could possibly be so beautiful about light gray?

He looks at the clock again.

A minute and a half left and this teacher still hasn’t shown up.

Daichi idly wonders if he can just leave the class, but he knows he’s way too responsible to do that. Plus, it’s his Evolution of Human Genetics class, a mandated class for his masters degree, and he did not like the idea of working so hard at something, only to give up at the last minute.

Or, last minute and fifteen seconds.

Trivial things, trivial things.

So he tunes back into Koushi’s rant about something or another that his soulmate did, nodding his head at all the right parts just to make sure his best friend didn’t feel like he wasn’t speaking for no reason.

Koushi never talked this much back in high school until his third year, when he saw his soulmate right in the middle of a practice match.

It must’ve been a soulmate thing, since Oikawa Tooru was a chatterbox with no off button.

He sighs again just as the door opens and the man, whom Daichi presumes to be the teacher, walks in.

He wants to feel relieved, but he can’t concentrate on that.

Daichi’s more surprised by the fact that nothing is gray anymore.

Things start to become bright, beautiful, breathtaking. He realizes that this is it, this is color, the color that he’s been longing to see and the color that he’d given up on.

He’s excited-- no more gray scales to compare colors but rather learning the names of them, learning which things are which colors.

Daichi looks away from the walls, from the desks, to the teacher standing front and center.

Staring right at him.

And then it all starts to click in place. Daichi is a smart man, but it takes a little too long to notice the connection between his teacher and the color.

His soulmate.

His soulmate, who only looked at him for a moment before turning around and writing his name on the board. His soulmate, who held himself with his shoulders back and squared in the front of the room, with such an authoritative air. It made Daichi’s heart ache just a little.

Professor Iwaizumi Hajime, Evolution of Human Genetics. His handwriting is so neat and Daichi looks down at his own scribble, a little embarrassed.

At exactly five minutes into class, Professor Iwaizumi Hajime begins roll call, and Daichi doesn’t know if it’s his own natural attentiveness or the fact that it’s his soulmate, but Daichi notices the subtle flicker of the professor’s dark eyes after each time he says a name.

It’s a little cute. It makes Daichi’s cheeks warm up.

They really start to blaze when that deep voice says his name, and it’s absolutely sinful. He wants to keep hearing it, he wants to hear it in different ways-- said in complete happiness, as a whisper in his ear, as a moan echoing off walls.

He raises his hand, and he could swear he saw a small smirk on the professor’s face.

Without further delay, he finishes roll call and his hands become occupied with a stack of papers, and each step he takes resounds in Daichi’s chest.

The professor passes by him as he distributes the papers.

Daichi tries not to think about the brushing of fingers against his arm as he passed by.

He tries not to think about the way the professor just casually sits right on top of the desk after making his rounds, the way his fingers deftly roll up the sleeves of that tight, bright shirt.

It’s only an hour class.

He’s got a quarter down. He can try his hardest the rest of the time and try to stay after class to talk to the professor, his soulmate.

He's getting butterflies just thinking about being alone with him. And it's not particularly because he's a shy person, he just doesn't know the right words to say. Does he start out with a: "Hey, I'm your soulmate, hi." or a "Where have you been all my life?"

Neither of them sound good and he has to keep himself from groaning.

Daichi avoids looking right at the professor-- does he call him Iwaizumi-sensei or Iwaizumi-san-- and opens his binder to scribble down a quick note to pass to Koushi.

_SOS help me._  The note only has three words, and he folds the paper to shove into Koushi's hand under the table. This was so high school.

Daichi watches as Koushi opens it and writes a short response, handing it back in a matter of seconds. He spares a glance up at the professor and his eyes lock onto his and shit--

Shit.

Abort mission.

He waits until the professor looks away to open the note, only finding a question mark instead of any kind of actual response. Daichi sighs and shakes his head, deciding to just tell Koushi when the two were out of the class and away from the person in the front of the classroom.

Forty more minutes.

He could do forty more minutes, right?

Wrong.

Not with the way he could practically feel the professor's eyes on him, his pulse racing. his body burning under his gaze. Not with how the professor kept speaking, saying mundane words which he should probably be listening to since it's the syllabus. Somehow that deep voice managed to make every word absolutely sinful, and absolutely hard for Daichi to concentrate on them.

Did that come with being soulmates? This yearning, this level of attraction?

Daichi thinks back to when Koushi and Tooru first figured out they were soulmates. The amount of times he's walked in on them making out after practices or while they were all out together.

He visibly shudders. Oh, it definitely came with it.

Daichi was a man that didn't do more than pats on backs or shoulders, so he was a little afraid of what it would mean for him. Does he abandon everything he is? Would it be different because this man is his soulmate? Would his soulmate even want to touch him? His mind was swimming with questions and it wasn't even like he could ask Koushi.

And then he takes a good look at his best friend. His hair color hadn't changed to anything-- has Koushi always had gray hair? Did he always look like an old man? Daichi has to stifle his laugh.

Daichi's so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even notice that the professor called for the class to be dismissed until Koushi's nudging his side, already standing.

"Daichi, come on. Tooru's waiting for us at the café." His eyes dart from his best friend to the professor, who was just arranging the papers on his desk, and then to his desk, slowly putting his things away.

"Go on without me. I'll meet up with you guys later. I know you guys haven't had alone time in a while." That seems like a safe answer. Koushi goes without question, no doubt excited with this arrangement, and he flashes a peace sign as he exits.

And it's just him and Professor Iwaizumi Hajime alone in the lecture hall, and his mind goes blank. He doesn't even get up, doesn't bother getting up since the professor decides to walk over and take a seat on Koushi's desk, something akin to a grin on his lips.

Daichi swallows.

"Well, I guess better late than never." Daichi's a little glad that he didn't have to start the conversation and he just nods, making a vague motion with his hands. "And of course it's my student, my first year of teaching. Just my luck, I suppose."

All he can really do is laugh a little and scratch the back of his head. What does he say? What does he do? Before he can even form a coherent sentence, the professor, his soulmate, pulls out a pen from his pocket and takes Daichi's hand, his sweaty hand, and writes a line of numbers.

"I know we can't really pursue a relationship or anything yet since you're my student, but I want you to have my number just in case you want to talk outside of the classroom. About anything. If you need a ride after getting trashed at a party, if you need help with the homework, just shoot me a text." By the end of it, a light color appeared on the professor's cheeks and he couldn't look Daichi in the eyes anymore.

It was absolutely adorable.

"Wouldn't that be giving me an advantage over the other students, Iwaizumi-sensei? That's not particularly fair to them." Daichi doesn't know where the sudden confidence came from, but his blood's rushing, and he smiles. At this response, the professor's eyes snaps to Daichi's face and the grin reappears.

"I guess we can't have that, Sawamura-san."

"Call me Daichi--" He blinks, unable to believe he just said that out loud. But the professor doesn't look surprised, just a little touched. Daichi doesn't understand why since they are soulmates, and it would only be natural, right?

"Call me Hajime outside of class, then, Daichi." His name rolls of Hajime's tongue and he swears his name has never sounded more beautiful. Daichi clears his throat and wriggles his phone out of his pocket to type in Hajime's number before the sweat really smudged it, sending a quick text of his name.

Hajime's phone chirps from the front desk. He doesn't move.

"I'll see you around then, Daichi."

"Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 to 11." Daichi stands and slings his bag across his chest, and then offers Hajime his hand, intending for a professional shake. But instead, his hand is taken into a slightly smaller one, lips pressing against the back of it before he could even figure out what was going on.

He can't even form a response as he pulls his hand back and stumbles out of the room, leaving a smirking professor behind.

Outside the classroom, Daichi's head begins to clear up and he's overwhelmed by the amount of color there is in the world. Having gone for so long without seeing it, he appreciates every shade, every tint, every hue that makes up things he passes by, like posters on the wall or the flowers on the trees.

His head is swimming for a completely different reason now. It's a lot to take in at once, but he wants to. He wants to get this full experience.

After all, nothing is like the first time.

Daichi heads straight for the café he, Koushi, and Tooru have frequented over the past three years, sending a text to Koushi when he's right outside the door to make sure it was safe to walk in and sit across from them. When he gets the affirmative, surprisingly quick, he walks in and is immediately surrounded by the smell of coffee and hazelnuts.

He takes a seat in the corner where Koushi and Tooru are nestled, right up against each other, and he feels a little bit of jealousy.

He can't do that with his soulmate.

The feeling takes him by surprise because he never knew he could actually be so jealous now that he actually has a soulmate--

Daichi doesn't dwell on it. He just orders his usual black coffee with a pump of vanilla syrup and pulls out his syllabus to reread what he had missed.

"Oh, Daichi--" Koushi calls out from Tooru's lap, fingers wrapped around Tooru's coffee cup. "Why did you SOS me earlier in class?"

Oh. That. Koushi did have a brilliant memory, after all. And it's not like Daichi wouldn't have told his best friend and also Tooru eventually, so he figures he might as well get it over with now.

"I met my soulmate." Quick, like a band-aid. But, of course, knowing their shared curiosity and excitement, he'd have to tell the entire story anyway. He takes a deep breath. "Um, it's our Evolution professor? Funny thing, really. I just stayed after class to talk to him and now I have his number?" Daichi chuckles nervously and is so grateful for the barista bringing his coffee at that moment. He doesn't have to answer anything when he has hot coffee in his mouth.

"Tooru, the professor I was telling you about. Iwaizumi Hajime? The really hot one that could probably give you a run for your money?" Tooru whines and Daichi honestly couldn't say he wasn't expecting that. His eyes catch movement on Koushi's thigh and he immediately looks away to sip his coffee.

"I can't believe you think Iwa-chan is hot. He's so lame. When I was three, he left a beetle on my bed." Iwa-chan? Well, that little tidbit was certainly interesting.

"How do you know our professor?"

"I grew up with him. He was my neighbor and our moms were best friends, so we hung out a lot. He's only three years older than us but my mom tells me I should be responsible like he is. That's just code for being lame." Tooru was a child. An absolute child.

But that certainly made things a little less awkward.

Knowing Tooru had its perks, sometimes.

He saves the idea for a later date, for when he feels more comfortable around his soulmate. After all, it'd be nice to have an advantage over Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome.

Daichi texts Hajime that night when he's alone in his bedroom, hunching over his desk as he reads the syllabus. He could use the class as an excuse to talk to him-- that wouldn't be frowned upon. It's an innocent enough conversation. Hajime responds immediately, in a short and concise manner, and Daichi appreciates it. It's similar to his own texting style and definitely opposite Tooru's and Koushi's, riddled with so many emoticons that it was hard to even decipher.

Soon one question turns into two and before Daichi can even blink, it's two in the morning and they are talking about something as pointless as their favorite cereal.

Daichi is a smart man, and he knows he's going to hate himself since he has to be up for class in four hours, but he can't find it in himself to really care at this point in time.

He bids Hajime goodnight and goes to sleep at ease.

By the second week, class isn't as awkward as it was the first day. Daichi has to force himself to pay attention to what Hajime is saying instead of getting lost in his voice-- the same one that sung him to sleep the night prior after waking up from a nightmare.

Who knew beautiful colors could make nightmares so much worse?

There are bags under Hajime's eyes, and Daichi feels a little guilty, so he writes down a little note for Hajime to see when he walks by, but all the professor does is smile and shake his head.

Koushi elbows him in the side.

Daichi doesn't know if it's because of the way Hajime's teaching it or if it's the actual content itself, but he finds that he actually enjoys the class-- He's fascinated by it, by the way the human body has changed and evolved.over time and how human genetics have adapted to the world.

Maybe Hajime's voice can even make the most boring subjects sound lively and amazing. He'd have to try that out some day.

By the third week, Daichi and Hajime have fallen into a routine of meeting before class to get coffee and then walking in together as they talk about the class before's lesson. After class, they spend a few more minutes together strengthening Daichi's understanding of the topic.

And if there are accidental touches here and there-- well, who is Daichi to complain.

It's a comfortable relationship, one that makes Daichi feel safe and warm on the inside when he thinks about it. It's exciting, the fact that Daichi can wake up everyday and learn something new about his soulmate, something small or something big. He definitely takes up Tooru's offer for embarrassing stories about Hajime's childhood when the four of them are together in Tooru's apartment, which makes Hajime groan and bury his face in the crook of Daichi's neck, Daichi's fingers combing through the professor's short hair.

It's the little things that make Daichi's heart beat hard in his chest.

In fact, they don't share their first kiss until after finals week, when Daichi is no longer his student.

And also a little drunk.

Daichi thinks he deserves it, a chance to unwind after being so stressed out after a week long of tests that would either make or break him at this point. At least he's very confident about his Evolution final.

It's really a small affair-- Just the four of them as usual since Daichi wasn't really one for college parties. Tooru brings the alcohol and Hajime brings the food and they arrive together while Daichi and Koushi set up their living room to accommodate the four of them.

Koushi and Tooru are the first ones out-- And it isn't as if they're lightweights.

Okay, maybe Koushi is.

But four beers in and their hands are all over each other. Thankfully, they take it to Koushi's bedroom and Daichi's not about to stay in the apartment. He knows first hand how loud they can get.

So Hajime and Daichi take the rest of the beers and leave, and Daichi feels a little better with the cool night air filling his lungs and his hand in Hajime's slightly smaller one. He feels a little better knowing that it was okay to be like that, to indulge in the little signs of affection.

Most nights, though, Daichi wonders what it would be like to have Hajime's lips pressed against his. Would they be soft? Would they be a little chapped? He wanted to know.

Though they were only a few blocks away from Hajime's apartment, Daichi stops in the middle of the empty street and turns to Hajime, freeing his hand from the professor's so he can cup both of his cheeks and leave a wet kiss right to his lips.

It's a little sloppy and a little inexperienced, but Daichi still sees color behind his eyes-- colors that he can now name exploding behind closed eyelids.

Hajime's lips really are soft. He supposes he shouldn't be so surprised since Hajime often does steal his chapstick, and he can taste the faint vanilla on his lips.

It's magical and a fire starts in Daichi, a warmth in the pit of his stomach.

When they pull away, Daichi laughs and Hajime laughs and they're both standing in the middle of the street with their foreheads pressed together.

And Daichi thinks that maybe this is where he ought to be.

His last semester in college is full of late night cuddling, early morning kisses, and quick coffee dates between class.

Daichi thinks it's too good to last, two months into the new semester. It's too good, that it's all a dream, that he's going to wake up and his world is going to go back to black and white. It's only been six months out of twenty-two years-- it's possible that everything could just be his imagination.

It's a pretty vivid imagination, though, to be able to see the vibrant colors of the sunrise, to feel his heart pumping hard whenever he sees Hajime asleep next to him, to hear the soft voice still thick from sleep murmuring how much he adores Daichi.

Daichi pinches himself on multiple occasions.

It's definitely real, and he's surprised each and every time.

The last month of his school career is one he would definitely never miss-- filled with term papers and tests and definitely not enough time to see his soulmate during the day and being too tired to do anything more than sleep at night.

And Daichi thanks every higher being for Hajime being with him, for making coffee at two in the morning, for helping him in areas where he got stuck with his thesis.

Daichi doesn't even remember what it was like without his soulmate, the way it felt to be living in monotone everyday.

Graduation day comes and no one is more excited than Hajime to see the three people he's gotten so close to walk across the stage, their accomplishments read out to classmates, friends, and family.

Daichi's heart swells.

Tooru and Koushi don't stay long after the ceremony. They have family to talk to and then probably head over to the apartment.

Koushi leaves a not-so-secretive text that clues Daichi in to not come home tonight.

But it's not like he already doesn't know-- He's been practically living with Hajime these past few months, only coming to his shared apartment with Koushi to change.

Daichi finds Hajime in the crowd and the two head over to their little apartment, hand in hand, and Daichi finds warmth in Hajime despite the slight chill in the air.

The skies are gray today, but Daichi doesn't mind it anymore. Doesn't mind the gray, doesn't mind the black and white.

He's found a home, he's found his bursts of color that excite him, that bring life to him, but also his black and white that calms him down, that's familiar to him. He's found a home.

"I love you." Daichi blurts out without thinking about it, and watches as pink tinges Hajime's tan cheeks.

Pink might be his favorite color, with the way Hajime's cheeks color whenever Daichi says something affectionate.

"I love you, too."

Or maybe it's red. The color of the blood on Hajime's lips after being kissed hard, the color of the roses Hajime gets him that are held tightly in Daichi's free hand.

The color of passion.

The color of love.


End file.
